Everything you need to know about Chelsea Flower Show as it returns this week

·5-min read
rhs chelsea flower show 2023
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 plansGetty Images

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 is back again for its annual floral extravaganza and there is lots to see and do.

This year, as well as the main Show Gardens, we see the the return of the Balcony and Container gardens which champion smaller outside spaces. Smaller indoor spaces are also being showcased, thanks to the Houseplant Studios which were a new addition in 2021.

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Want to know exactly what to expect from Chelsea this year? Here's everything you need to know about the medals, date, location, tickets and gardens on display.

When is the Chelsea Flower Show 2023?

The 2023 show has returned and is on all week in its traditional Springtime slot between 23 and 27 May 2023. The first official two days of the show, 23 and 24 May, are reserved for RHS members only.

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What are the Chelsea Flower Show 2023 opening times

Between Tuesday and Friday, the show opens from 8am and closes at 8pm. On the last day of the event (Saturday), it will also be open to visitors from 8am but will close early at 5.30pm.

Where is the Chelsea Flower Show 2023?

The Chelsea Flower Show takes place in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London. The nearest tube stop is Sloane Square, which is approximately a 10 minute walk from the show ground.

How much are Chelsea Flower Show tickets for 2023?

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Tickets prices for members are from £37.85 and the cost for non-members start at £48.85.

How to get Chelsea Flower Show tickets for 2023

Chelsea Flower Show tickets for 2021 are currently available to buy online. You can also find tickets to other events including the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival and more on the RHS website.

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Some tickets are only available to RHS members, who receive advance entry to the event.

How do I become an RHS member?

If you would like to become an RHS member to enjoy the Chelsea Flower Show, simply visit the RHS website to sign up now.

You can enjoy unlimited days out in the RHS' five gardens, exclusive access to shows and expert advice, while helping support its charitable work.

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You can also get a joint membership.

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What can I see at the Chelsea Garden Show 2023?

The Chelsea Garden Show 2023 gardens have now been announced.

According to a the RHS, the show "will once again shine a spotlight on the ways that gardening and gardens can contribute positively to our health and wellbeing, as well as to help the environment."

Last year's show had a wilder focus with "blossoming hedgerows, lush woodland and wildflower meadows," giving the event "its most naturalistic feel in recent years," according to a release.

Chelsea Flower Show 2023: The Show Gardens

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These are all the gardens competing in the Chelsea Flower Show 2023.

  • Centre for Mental Health’s The Balance Garden, designed by Jonathan Davies and Steve Williams (Wild City Studio)

  • The RBC Brewin Dolphin Garden, designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes

  • The Centrepoint Garden, designed by Cleve West

  • A Letter From A Million Years Past, designed by Jihae Hwang

  • Myeloma UK - A Life Worth Living Garden, designed by Chris Beardshaw

  • The Nurture Landscapes Garden, designed by Sarah Price

  • Horatio’s Garden, designed by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg

  • The Royal Entomological Society Garden, designed by Tom Massey

  • The Samaritans’ Listening Garden, designed by Darren Hawkes

  • The Savills Garden, designed by Mark Gregory

  • Memoria & GreenAcres Transcendence Garden, designed by Gavin McWilliam and Andrew Wilson

Chelsea Flower Show 2023: Sanctuary Gardens

These are all of the gardens and designers taking part in the Sanctuary Gardens category for the Chelsea Flower Show 2023:

  • The Boodles British Craft Garden, designed by Thomas Hoblyn

  • Hamptons Mediterranean Garden, designed by Filippo Dester

  • Cavernoma On My Mind, designed by Taina Suonio and Anne Hamilton

  • London Square Community Garden, designed by James Smith

  • The RSPCA Garden, designed by Martyn Wilson

  • The Biophilic Garden Otsu – Hanare, designed by Kazuyuki Ishihara

Chelsea Flower Show 2023: All About Plants Gardens

The All About Plants category is relatively new to Chelsea, and this year will feature:

  • The Choose Love Garden, designed by Jane Porter

  • The Natural Affinity Garden for Aspens, designed by Camellia Taylor

  • The Sadler’s Wells East Garden, designed by Alexa Ryan-Mills

  • The School Food Matters Garden, designed by Harry Holding

  • The Talitha Arts Garden, designed by Joe and Laura Carey

  • The Teapot Trust: Elsewhere Garden, designed by Semple Begg

Chelsea Flower Show 2023: Balcony Gardens

Proving you don't need to have a large garden to grow beautiful plants and displays, the balcony garden category will see a range of competitors create compact showcases which don't require acres of space.

Chelsea Flower Show 2023: Container Gardens

Like the balcony gardens collection, container gardens will prove how beautiful displays can be cultivated even without solid ground to work with. Using pots of all shapes and sizes, the gardens will provide a modern take on horticultural which is more accessible to everyone.

Chelsea Flower Show 2023: The Great Pavilion

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The Great Pavilion at The Chelsea Flower Show 2019Barcroft Media - Getty Images

One of the highlights of the Chelsea Flower Show, the Great Pavilion was due to feature a new section called The RHS Potting Shed in 2020, which returned last year.

We know that for 2023 there will be a huge number of exhibitors present, with everyone from plant nurseries to city councils displaying. There will also be a huge range of tradestands available for purchasing all the best garden products.

Chelsea Flower Show 2023: Floristry and Floral Design Competition

2021 saw the launch of an exciting competition for florists in which competitors created either window displays or larger instalments around specific themes.

You can see our full guide to the RHS Chelsea Floristry and Floral Design competition where we share all the plans from the prospective designers taking part and reveal the winners.

Chelsea Flower Show 2023: Plant of the Year competition

Each year, the Plant of the Year competition chooses one stand out plant of the year. To mark 10 years of the competition in 2020, the Chelsea Flower Show named its 'Plant of the Decade'.

The ten past Plant of the Year winners battled it out for the prestigious title in a people's choice vote, and one came out on top, the 2015 winner Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum Kilimanjaro Sunrise ('Jww5').

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